Aaron Walawalkar here taking over on live-blogging duties. Stay tuned for updates as the clock ticks down to the 11pm deadline for the release of the government’s no-deal Brexit contingency planning documents, code-named Operation Yellowhammer.

Early evening summary

Andrew Sparrow

Downing Street has rejected demands from opposition MPs for an immediate recall of parliament after a Scottish court ruled that Boris Johnson’s five-week prorogation was unlawful. The case will now go to the supreme court next week for a final ruling. Dominic Grieve, the Conservative former attorney general, has said that if Johnson did mislead the Queen as to the reasons for prorogation, as the Scottish court ruling implies, he should be forced to resign. (See 12.05pm.)

Johnson has said he would not accept a Northern Ireland-only backstop. (See 17.52pm.)

Jeremy Corbyn has firmly rejected Tom Watson’s suggestion that Labour should demand a referendum on Brexit before an election. Asked about the plan, which Watson, the deputy Labour leader, set out in a speech this morning, Corbyn said:

It’s Tom’s view. I don’t accept it and I don’t agree with it.

Corbyn also defended his refusal to make Labour a remain-only party. In an interview he set out the party’s plan to go into the election promising to hold a referendum afterwards, with remain and a credible leave option on the ballot paper. When asked if he was trying to appeal to leave votes and to remain voters, he replied:

Ever since 2016, I’ve sought to bring people together. People voted remain because they wanted to remain in the EU and felt it was their best option. Many voted leave because they were angry at the way their communities had been left behind, denied investment, denied good quality jobs, denied any real hope for the future. I want to lead a Labour government that will bring people together, and a relationship with Europe, either in the EU or an effective trading relationship with Europe, in which we have a dynamic relationship on regulations and rights so we don’t become a Donald Trump island, on the edge of Europe, undermining the social advances that have been made, I recognise that, under the European Union.

Boris Johnson's 'People's PMQs' - Snap verdict

If you thought PMQs was the most debased and pointless form of executive scrutiny in British politics - a common view, particularly below the line here, although it does not seem to stop people taking an interest - then just watch a version of Boris Johnson’s People’s PMQs. It was execrable. It made the real PMQs look magisterial.

It is not that there is anything wrong with politicians using Facebook to communicate. But it did not feel as if Johnson had anything to say, and certainly nothing that he could not have expressed in a speech, or a proper interview, or even on Twitter. And if the point of the exercise was to show that he is willing to subject himself to questions, and defend what he is doing, then he needs to be questioned by something a bit more interactive than a mute iPad. Somebody who can ask a tough follow-up. Any MP who has done a radio phone-in knows that members of the public can sometimes ask far better questions than journalists, and a genuine People’s PMQs might be worth watching. But this effort made Johnson look like some second-rate despot holed up in his bunker, terrified of an actual encounter with his people.

The only answer of interest came when Johnson was talking about the backstop. Ostensibly, after referring to “chatter” that he is moving towards a Northern Ireland-only backstop, he ruled out the idea. He said:

We will not accept a Northern Ireland-only backstop. We have to solve the problem of the Northern Ireland border but we’re working very hard to do that.

But, as he started this answer, he hinted that his determination to get rid of the backstop in its entirely was not absolute. He said:

The backstop is going to be removed ... I very much hope, or I insist.

Was that a slip of the tongue? It sounded like this. But Johnson is well know for carefully scripting his impromptu remarks (read this by Jeremy Vine for a good insight into this) and so perhaps he was paving the way for an eventual climbdown. Who knows?

But he could have messaged this and submitted himself to proper questions at the same time too. His preference for a format that makes this impossible is not impressive.

Q: Doctors and schools need more funding. Are you going to help with this?

Johnson says he has already mentioned extra spending for the NHS. As a Conservative he believes in opportunity. He thinks talent and skills are evenly distributed, everywhere. But not everyone has the same opportunity. That is why he is going to level things up. Every school will get the same amount of funding. That can be done without breaching fiscal discipline. And that can happen within a dynamic market economy that can pay for fantastic services.